1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body gesture control system for operating electrical and electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to the body gesture control system provided with a gesture change detection unit for operating electrical and electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, remote signaling devices with infrared or RF signals are widely used to control functions of various electrical and electronic devices, including electrical machines, VCRs, TVs and computer devices. However, there is a requirement for freehand control to interact with the electrical and electronic devices. Moreover, voice or hand gesture signals can also be used to control functions of electrical and electronic devices.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,463, entitled “HAND GESTURE MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM,” discloses a system for the control from a distance of machines having displays and including hand gesture detection in which the hand gesture causes movement of an on-screen hand icon over an on-screen machine control icon, with the hand icon moving the machine control icon in accordance with sensed hand movements to effectuate machine control. TV control led by hand signals includes detecting a single hand gesture and providing a hand icon on the screen along with the provision of icons representing TV controls such as volume, channel, color, density, etc. A television camera detects the hand in a noisy background through correlation techniques based on values of local image orientation. In order to trigger the system into operation, a trigger gesture such as the “how” sign is distinguished from the background through the utilization of orientation angle differences. However, the control system is designed for the control of on-screen hand icons by a hand gesture that fails to meet a requirement for reducing mis-recognition of gestures.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,808, entitled “HAND GESTURE CONTROL SYSTEM,” discloses a system is provided for rapidly recognizing hand gestures for the control of computer graphics. Particularly, image moment calculations are utilized to determine an overall equivalent rectangle corresponding to hand position, orientation and size, with size correlating to the width of the hand. A hole generated through the utilization of the touching of the forefinger with the thumb provides a special trigger gesture recognized through the corresponding hole in the binary representation of the hand. Image moments of images of other objects are detected for controlling or directing onscreen images. However, the control system is also designed for the control of onscreen images by a hand gesture that fails to meet a requirement for reducing mis-recognition of gestures.
As is described in greater detail below, the present invention provides a body gesture control system for operating electrical and electronic devices. A gesture change detection unit is provided to process body gesture images to precisely recognize a body gesture in such a way as to mitigate and overcome the above problem.